Salvia plant named ‘Balmirsal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Salvia  plant named ‘Balmirsal’, characterized by its medium salmon-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Salvia greggii

Variety denomination: ‘Balmirsal’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant botanically known as Salvia greggii and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Balmirsal’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Guadalupe, Calif. during March 2014. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Salvia cultivars having large flowers and an upright-mounded growth habits.

The new Salvia cultivar was the result of a self-pollination of the proprietary Salvia greggii breeding selection coded Sa130935-9, not patented, characterized by its light salmon-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated self-pollination during May 2015 in a controlled environment in Guadalupe, Calif.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings since May 2015 in Guadalupe, Calif. and Elburn, Ill. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Balmirsal’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant:

-   -   1. Medium salmon-colored flowers;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Moderately vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the parent primarily in having more branches per plant and darker-colored peduncles.

Of the many commercially available Salvia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is Heatwave Blast ‘EGGBEN002’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 24,153. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘EGGBEN002’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar are shorter than plants of         ‘EGGBEN002’;     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have an upper lip flower color         that is has more yellowish-pink coloration than plants of         ‘EGGBEN002’; and     -   3. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller diameter flowers than         plants of ‘EGGBEN002’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balmirsal’. The plants were approximately four months old. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 12 weeks in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one at one week before transplant and one two weeks after transplant.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Balmirsal’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Balmirsal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2015 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in July 2018 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe approximately four-month old plants produced from cuttings from stock plants and grown under conditions comparable to those used in commercial practice. The plants were grown in one-gallon containers for approximately 12 weeks in a greenhouse in Elburn, Ill. Plants were given two pinches, one at one week before transplant and one two weeks after transplant. Greenhouse temperatures in Elburn, Ill. were maintained at approximately 65° F. to 70° F. (18.3° C. to 21.1° C.) during the day and approximately 55° F. to 60° F. (12.8° C. to 15.6° C.) during the night. No supplemental lighting was provided. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia greggii ‘Balmirsal’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female and male parents.—Proprietary Salvia greggii breeding             selection coded Sa130935-9, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem.         -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 10 to 12 days.         -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 35 to 42             days.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous white to light brown in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 8 to 10 weeks from a             rooted cutting to finish in a 15 cm pot.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Subshrub, moderately             vigorous, upright-mounded growth habit.         -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 7a (0° F. to 5° F./−17.8° C. to −15°             C.).         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 38.0 cm. Width: Approximately 37.0 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, pinching enhances lateral             branching. Quantity of branches per plant: Approximately 3             main branches and approximately 22 lateral branches.         -   Branch.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Moderately             strong, young growth flexible. Length to base of             inflorescence: Approximately 12.0 cm. Diameter:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Length of central internode:             Approximately 3.0 cm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color of             young stems: 146C. Color of mature stems: 146C, becoming             woody 200C with age. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General Description.—Quantity of leaves per branch:             Approximately 6. Fragrance: Strong, sage-like. Form: Simple.             Arrangement: Opposite.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Acute to perpendicular angle to stem. Shape:             Elliptic. Margin: Crenulate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse.             Venation pattern: Pinnate. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 3.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             1.9 cm. Texture of upper surface and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface of young foliage: 137A with             venation of 137C. Color of lower surface of young foliage:             Closest to 138A with venation of 146D. Color of upper             surface of mature foliage: 137B with venation of 137C. Color             of lower surface of mature foliage: Closest to between 138A             and 138B with venation of 146D.         -   Petiole.—Length: Approximately 0.7 mm. Diameter:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color:             146D. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Balmirsal’ is freely flowering under             outdoor growing conditions blooming from early spring             through late summer.         -   Lastingness of individual floret.—Approximately 4 to 5 days. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Raceme with typically two florets             per node. Quantity of open inflorescences per plant:             Approximately 25. Fragrance: Faint, sweet. Length or height             of inflorescence: Approximately 7.5 cm to 10.0 cm. Width of             inflorescence: Approximately 5.5 cm. Quantity of fully-open             flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 2 to 4.         -   Peduncle.—Shape: Square in cross section. Strength: Strong.             Aspect: Primarily erect. Length: Approximately 2.0 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent.             Color: 146B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Type.—Single, zygomorphic.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 2 to 3 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovoid. Length:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: Calyx of 146D with an             overlay of N186A; petals of 52A and 39A with pubescence of             46A.         -   Corolla.—Shape: Bilabiate, lower lip having three lobes,             based fused. Width: Approximately 1.8 cm. Length:             Approximately 1.9 cm. Depth: Approximately 2.8 cm.         -   Upper lip.—Shape: Hooded. Margin: Entire. Apex: Rounded.             Length from throat: Approximately 1.0 cm. Width:             Approximately 4.0 mm. Texture of inner surface: Glabrous.             Texture of outer surface: Densely pubescent. Color of inner             surface when first and fully open: NN155D. Color of outer             surface when first and fully open: 39C with 54C.         -   Lower lip.—Shape of central lobe: Obovate, cupped. Shape of             lateral lobes: Oblong. Margin of central lobe: Shallowly             scalloped. Margin of lateral lobes: Entire. Apex of central             lobe: Emarginate. Apex of lateral lobes: Rounded. Length             from throat of central lobe: Approximately 1.4 cm. Width of             central lobe: Approximately 1.8 cm. Length from throat of             lateral lobes: Approximately 8.0 mm. Width of lateral lobes:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first and fully open:             52B. Color of lower surface when first and fully open:             Closest to 54B to 54C.         -   Corolla tube.—Length: Approximately 1.6 cm. Width:             Approximately 7.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of inner surface: NN155D, translucent. Color             of outer surface: 39C with 54C and NN155D at base.         -   Calyx.—Shape: Tubular. Length: Approximately 1.1 cm.             Diameter: Approximately 7.0 mm.         -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: 3, fused. Shape: Obovate.             Margin: Entire. Apex: Acuminate. Length: Approximately             1.1 cm. Width: Two of approximately 3.0 mm and one of             approximately 6.0 mm. Texture of inner and outer surfaces:             Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 147C with an             overlay of N186A at apex. Color of outer surface: 146D with             an overlay of N186A.         -   Bracts.—Quantity: One bract located at the base of each             developing floret, bracts abscise as florets mature. Length:             Approximately 1.0 cm. Width: Approximately 8.0 mm. Texture             of inner surface: Glabrous. Texture of outer surface:             Densely pubescent. Color of inner surface: 147C with an             overlay of N186A at apex. Color of outer surface: 146D with             a heavy overlay of N186A.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong, flexible. Aspect: At an acute             angle. Length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Diameter: Approximately             1.0 mm. Texture: Densely pubescent. Color: 146D with a heavy             overlay of N186A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen quantity: 2 per             flower, dorsifixed, strongly curved. Stamen length:             Approximately 1.2 cm. Filament length: Approximately 1.1 cm.             Filament color: NN155D, opaque with pubescence of 54A in             center. Anther shape: Narrowly elliptic to oblong. Anther             length: Approximately 2.0 mm. Anther color: 13B. Pollen             amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 13A. Gynoecium: Pistil             quantity: 1 per flower, strongly curved. Pistil length:             Approximately 2.7 cm. Stigma shape: Cleft, two-parted,             curved. Stigma length: 2.0 mm. Stigma color: NN155D tinted             with N81B. Style length: Approximately 2.2 cm. Style color:             NN155D, opaque. Style texture: Glabrous with a vertical line             of feather-like pubescence extending from the stigma for             approximately 5.0 mm. Ovary length: Approximately 3.0 mm.             Ovary color: 154C. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Salvia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named ‘Balmirsal’ substantially as herein illustrated and described. 